This decadent dark chocolate mousse is perfect for any occasion. It is simple and easy to make and is made of only 3 ingredients without compromising any flavour or texture. 

Ganache-Based Chocolate Mousse

A ganache-based mousse provides the maximum chocolate flavour, is very stable and has the creamiest mouthfeel out of all the other types of mousses.

The absence of egg means you will have the purest chocolate taste and so this recipe is a great option if you want to taste the subtle notes of good quality chocolate such as single origin chocolates. There are so few ingredients in this recipe that you will want to use the best quality chocolate you can find!

Because it is very stable, you can use it for a wide variety of applications including mousse cups, mousse cakes, entremets, plated desserts and tarts.

What makes a good mousse?

A good mousse is one that is smooth, airy, has a rich colour and holds its shape nicely. It should be easy to take a spoonful or cut through and it should melt nicely in your mouth with a strong chocolatey flavour.

Common issues with mousses

This recipe includes the precise quantity of ingredients and all the tips and tricks to help you achieve a perfect mousse and avoid the common pitfalls.

Some common issues include:

• graininess or a sandy mouthfeel
• dense and hard textures
• icy or crumbly textures
• melting too quickly into a puddle
• lack of flavour
• being too sweet
• inconsistent textures
• oiliness

Ingredients

Dark Chocolate Ganache Base

• 63 g Heavy cream (35-36% fat content)
• 63 g Whole milk
• 140 g Dark couverture chocolate pieces (70%)

Soft Whipped Cream

• 235 g Heavy cream (35-36% fat content)

Method (Short-Version / TL;DR)

1. Whip the cream until it is soft and pillowy, being sure not to over whip.
2. Bring the remaining milk and cream to a gentle simmer while constantly stirring.
3. Pour the hot cream and milk over the chocolate pieces.
4. Emulsify with a hand blender.
5. Add a part of the whipped cream to the ganache to loosen the mixture.
6. Pour the loosened ganache into the whipped cream and gently fold the mixture until evenly combined.
7. Pour into desired cups, ramekins, entremet moulds or cake rings.
8. Set in fridge for 2-4 hours before serving.

Scroll down further for more details on the method to help ensure the best results.

Servings

This recipe makes around 5 medium mousse cups (approximately 100g each) or 10-12 small mousse cups at around 40-50g each.

Technical: For this recipe 1 cubic centimetre of mousse is equal to 0.96 grams. So for example, if you are making a cylindrical mousse cake that is 16 centimetres in diameter and 5 centimetres in height, then you’ll need around 733g of this recipe.

We have a calculator that can help you scale this recipe to a specific total amount or a specific amount of an ingredient (which is useful when you want to use up your remaining cream for example). Click here to use our Recipe Scaling Calculator.

Method

Whipping the cream

This is one of the most crucial parts of the recipe! The texture of the cream will determine how evenly the mixture will come together and will determine the final texture, mouthfeel and airiness. For the amount of cream in this recipe, you probably want to use a whisk instead of a hand mixer or stand mixer to have the greatest control of the final texture.

Whip the cream with a whisk until you reach a pillowy texture. Once the cream starts thickening, (you can tell because when you lift the whisk, it should drop in a continuous ribbon) you can start whisking in shorter intervals, inspecting the texture.

You know you’ve reached a pillowy texture when the mixture is smooth, glossy and hangs in a thick peak from a spatula (pictured below).

Store the cream in the fridge until the ganache is ready.

Making the ganache

Prepare the chocolate in a tall vessel.

Combine the milk and cream and bring it to a gentle simmer. Constantly stir the mixture to make sure the heat is evenly distributed. Once the mixture is simmering, turn off the stove and allow it to sit for a moment until the bubble subside.

Pour the milk and cream over the chocolate. Give the vessel a swirl to ensure the chocolate is completely covered. 

Allow the mixture to sit for a minute to allow the chocolate to melt.

Emulsify the ganache with a hand blender until it is smooth and glossy. A hand blender provides the speed and friction that ensures a perfect emulsion

Making the mousse

Immediately, while the ganache is still hot, mix in a small part of the cream into the ganache to loosen the mixture and make it easier to evenly incorporate the cream.

Pour the ganache back into the whipped cream and gently fold the ingredients together until evenly combined.

When folding, you want to be gentle to make sure you maintain the air you whipped into the cream.

Assembly and usage

Mousse cups

Transfer the mixture to a piping bag and cut a large tip (around 2 cm) to pipe into the mousse cups. The piping bag will help ensure the mixture doesn’t drip onto the sides of the cup. You want to cut a large tip to preserve the airy texture of the mousse.

Entremets

For entremets and mousse cakes, you can use a ladle which will help preserve the air in the mousse.

Video

Check out our video to get more detail on the technique and consistencies of each element.

Tools that we use and Recommend

We've used the following tools for years and we highly recommend them to help you get the best results with your desserts. (We earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

• Hand blender: https://amzn.to/2Xl2QUB
• Saucepan: https://amzn.to/3rKoXBA